Mouth and nose guard.



Patontod D sc. 2, I902.

' ILB. GOODWIN.

MOUTH AND NOSE GUARD.

(Applimtionflhd June 19, IQOS.)

(No Model.)

NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARGARET B. GOODWIN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERTLEE HARPER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

MOUTH AND NOSE GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,052, dated December2, 1902.

Application filed June 19,1902. Serial No. 112,359. No model.)

To all whom/ it may concern:

Beit known that I, MARGARETB. Gooownv, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado,have invented new and useful Improvements in Mouth and Nose Guards, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved mouth and nose guard, and has forits object to provide a device which shall be light in weight, simpleand durable in construction, which may be readily applied to and removedfrom the face, and which shall comprise in its construction means fordetachably securing to the frame of the guard a piece of open-workfabric, such as lint or cotton, or suitable material to act as a filteror as a carrier for a suitable disinfectant to prevent the entrance ofdisease germs through the mouth or nose to the throat and lungs.

My invention is primarilyintended'for use in the latter manner and willfind its widest application in its use by the medical fraternity in thetreatment of diseases of a contagious nature or by nurses or otherscaring for those sick of tubercnlar troubles or any throat or contagiousdisease or by dentists to prevent the direct inhalation of the breath ofthe patient. Likewise patients having tubercular throat or any othercontagious disease may use the device. Other applications, however, willreadily suggest themselves-as, for instance, to prevent the inhalationof dust in mills, grinding establishments, and the like. In such otherapplications more than one layer of the gauze fabric may be used; but inits use by physicians, surgeons, or dentists, where the fabric is to besaturated with a disinfectant, a single layer of cotton, lint, orsimilar fabric'will ordinarily suffice.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a wire clamp for holding thefabric in the frame. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form ofclamp; and Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 2, showing the channellocated in the side of the frame next to the wearers face.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates a metal frame, substantiallyelliptical in shape, except centrally of its upper side, where it isprovided with a curved raised portion 2, which is adapted to fit overand rest upon the nose. At opposite ends or sides the frame has hingedthereto temples 3 in the manner of spectacles. I wish here to state,however, that I do not wish to be limited to the use of the temples 3for holding the guard to the face of the wearer, as I may use an elasticcord or a strap, or, in fact, any preferred means for this purpose. Inconnecting the temples to the device I solder or otherwise secure lugs 4to the sides of the frame and form a hinge connection between these lugsand the inner ends of the temples, as in dicated at 5. The frame 1 mayconsist of a single strip of metal bent upon itself to the shapedescribed and shown in Fig. 1 and having its ends brazed together atsome convenient point-say opposite one of the lugs l-or said frame maybe made of two strips of metal, with their corresponding ends unitedopposite'the lugs at. Under either form the strip of metal of which theframe is composed is bent or doubled over transversely upon itself toprovide a continuous channel 6. As shown by Fig. 2, this channel isdisposed around the inner side of the frame. It may, however, ifpreferred, be disposed around the side of the frame next to the wearersface, as shown by Fig. 5. This channel is for the purpose of receivingan endless spring-wire clamp 7, having the same contour as the frame andof a size when sprung into the channel 6 to press firmly against thebottom or the side thereof, according as the channel is disposed, asshown by Fig. 2 or as shown by Fig. 5. The purpose of this clamp 7 is tohold the fabric 8 in the frame, the edge of the fabric being pressedbetween the clamp and frame within the channel 6, as will be understood.In order to render this connection 95 more secure-that is, to preventthe fabric from pulling out, as well as to facilitate arranging the edgeof the fabric about the clamp before the latter is sprung into thechannel of the frameI may provide pointed projec- IOO tions or teeth 9at more or less frequent intervals about the clamp, which teeth willpierce the fabric and prevent its being pulled from between the clampand frame, as will be understood. As stated, the fabric 8 is intended tobe saturated before use with a suitable disinfectant, and as the frame 1is of a size to fit well over the nose and mouth 'and of a shape to liefairly close to the face in use all air inhaled by the operator willpass through the fabric 8, whereby any germs carried by the inhaled airwill be either arrested by the fabric or destroyed or rendered harmlessby the disinfectant carried by the fabric. The

' spring-clamp 7 may be readily removed from the frame to facilitateplacing a fresh piece of fabric therein, and this may be done as oftenas the judgment of the user dictates. Preferably a fresh cloth should beused with each patient.

It will readily be seen that with the use of my device not only will theoperator be protected from inhaling disease-germs, but the chances ofthe transmission by him of such germs by the act of breathing or bycarrying them in the mustache or whiskers will be greatly reduced, ifnot entirely prevented.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Amonth and nose guard comprising a continuous skeleton frameandaspring-clainp of like contour with, and located entirely within, theframe and adapted to press outward against the wall thereof to clamp theedges of a strip of fabric thereto.

2. A month and nose guard comprising a continuous channeled frame, and aspringclamp of like contour with the frame and adapted to be sprung intothe channel and to press outward against the walls thereof to clamp astrip of fabric in the frame.

3. A month and nose guard comprising a frame having a channel and aspring-clamp of like contour with the frame and adapted to be sprunginto the channel thereof to clamp a strip of fabric in the frame, saidclamp being provided with pointed projections for piercing the fabric.

4:. A month and nose guard comprising a skeleton frame having acontinuous channel on its inner side, and a spring-clamp of like contourwith the frame and adapted to be sprunginto the channel and to pressontwardly against the walls thereof to clamp a strip of fabric in theframe.

5. A month and nose guard comprising a skeleton frame havinga continuouschannel, a spring-clamp of like contour with the frame and adapted to besprung into the channel and to press outwardly against the walls thereofto clamp a strip of fabric into the frame, and means carried by saidframe for holding the guard to the face.

6. A mouth and nose guard comprising a continuous frame of substantiallyelliptical shape having a curved raised portion on one side to receivethe nose, and being provided with a continuous channel, a continuousspring-clamp of like contour with the frame adapted to be sprung intosaid channel for the purpose described, and means carried by said frameto hold the guard to the face.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MARGARET B. GOODWIN.

Witnesses:

O. B. NIoHoLs, W. D. WATTS.

